Ages 70+

1568101125

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  • BarbMessimer
    BarbMessimer Posts: 362 Member
    @jonni82014 ... What a remarkable story! I wonder how she's doing now.
  • ssfx50
    ssfx50 Posts: 7 Member
    Hi, all. I just stumbled on this group, and I'm happy to see many in my age range. I'm 70. I didn't become overweight until in my 50's but it's been a battle since then. I don't care about the looks part, but I know for a fact that I feel better (and my knees work a lot better) when I drop some pounds. I started at 180 a couple of years ago (and I'm short, so that's a lot). On keto, I lost down to 145 in six months and then started having terrible pain in my lower back. Turned out that my kidneys weren't handling the high protein well and my doc was very concerned about the high fat and my heart. I got discouraged and gained back to 176. That was new my starting point. I'm focusing on calorie deficit rather than a "diet plan" and trying to select healthy foods. The loss isn't as fast as keto, but I'm losing. So far I'm down 22 pounds and, as someone else said, my mindset is right, so I'm committed to sticking to it. I love hearing your experiences. Very inspiring. Thanks to the group starters!
  • jan110144
    jan110144 Posts: 1,281 Member
    Day 10 -

    Interesting day yesterday. Food - on target. Tried a new recipe, which I HATED! Unfortunately, it was a crockpot dish with many servings (had planned to stock freezer for emergency meals). Also, had ingredients which meant I couldn't even give it to the dog. Unfortunately, the rest went down the garbage disposal. Word to self --- when experimenting reduce the recipe to just one or two servings if possible, just in case.

    Steps - LOTS of steps yesterday *15,000+). Looks like we are pretty much going to have solid rain for the next 36 hours. Walks look doubtful. So, I am modifying my 10,000 steps a day to 70,000 for the week. Right now I am on target, even if I get no walks in today. Dog is just going to have to accept going out in the rain to do her business. Will have to think of something indoors to amuse her (she is a standard poodle who is used to lots of exercise. Being indoors for a full day is a real bummer for her).

    Sleep - Just fair. Have no idea why. Sleep is a perplexing thing.

    @jonni82014 That was quite an interesting story. It is interesting how much can be accomplished re improving health by just changing our daily habits and thinking. The whole mind-body thing is fascinatng.

    @ssfx50 Welcome! Sounds like you are on a good path. I have always wondered about the potential impact of a Keto diet for older people, given that some reduction of kidney function is very common with aging. Also, it seems to me that keto would be hard to sustain (and hence encourage a rebound when one comes off the diet). I only know one person who has been able to adhere to Keto as a permanent lifestyle. She has a seizure history and keto has pretty much put an end to her seizures. Bottom line, I think most people are better off just focusing on reducing calorie intake using a way of eating that they can sustain (instead of a special diet). I am working very hard at trying to look at this as a life-style change of sustainable good habits (with weight loss being just a natural by-product). While I count calories, I am really more focused on making good choices (re food, exercise, and sleep ... the three critical areas for me). Even if I go over my calorie target, I consider it a definite win if I made good choices doing it.

    Have a good day everyone!
  • BarbMessimer
    BarbMessimer Posts: 362 Member
    @ssfx50 ... Welcome! I couldn't maintain keto either so I mostly do low carb now. I have a sensible amount of protein and only eat whole foods. I used to have CKD 3 but my kidneys are normal now. The doctor was amazed. I hope to see more of your posts and we will encourage you.
  • jan110144
    jan110144 Posts: 1,281 Member
    Day 11

    Sleep, food AND steps all good.
    With rain all day long, I did not think I would get steps in, but it finally stopped around 6:30. The dog and I were both happy to get out of the house.

    Only positive thing about an all-day rain was that I got a ton of things done that I have been procrastinating on for months.

    Have a good day!
  • ssfx50
    ssfx50 Posts: 7 Member
    edited April 12
    jan110144 wrote: »

    "Tried a new recipe, which I HATED!"

    LOL... I seem to be doing a lot of that lately too. My dogs are getting fat. Along with trolling for new recipes, I just got my first air fryer after having listened to a lot of folks sing their praises. The jury is still out. It's okay, and I got one with multi-functions, so I can see using it for some baking now and again, but I can't say that I'm super impressed yet. I've also been experimenting with casserole type recipes that I can freeze for quick meals, just as you mentioned. Definitely hit and miss on those. I feel certain that many of the "best ever" recipe contributors online don't actually taste their dishes, but they do make cute videos!

  • jonni82014
    jonni82014 Posts: 1,534 Member
    edited April 12
    Today is a fabulous day, here. Grandson's B-Day . We are going to FaceTime Virginia later.

    The weather is finally becoming spring like. This morning it is 3C/37.4F Can hardly wait to walk the trails and paths of our River Valley.

    Yesterday we did some errands and a serious walk at the mall. Got in 13422 steps 8.88km or 5.59mi
    Ate mindfully. We were going to stop for mall food; however we walk right past kiosks, went home to smoked chicken thighs and salad. Very happy today about the right food choices and saved a few $$.

    Protein strawberry smoothie for breakfast; hummus and veg for lunch w/fruit. Baked salmon w/salad for dinner. NO snacking after 6:00pm. For the month of April I have had 11 successful days of NO Late night snacking.

    Just for today DH and I are off to the Rec. Centre. 45minute walk 50-60 minutes stretch and weights (cable) On Tuesday I ran into my Primary Network Exercise Specialist. She showed me four core exercises that I will incorporate into my workout routine.

    Have a great day everyone
  • BarbMessimer
    BarbMessimer Posts: 362 Member
    @jonni82014 ... I'm so proud of myself when I'm out and about and resist eating out. Like you, I know it's kept me on my plan and saved money.

    Congrats on 11 nights of no late night snacking. That's one I'm working on too.
  • MaryBethB54
    MaryBethB54 Posts: 1 Member
    70 in August,the struggle is real. Just had surgery in December and struggling to get momentum back!
  • jan110144
    jan110144 Posts: 1,281 Member
    edited April 13
    Good day yesterday. Sleep was a bit off target, but food and exercise good. Looks like we are finally going to the the sun today. Will be a good spirit lifter.

    @ssfx50 if you run across any interesting, healthy casseroles pls share. Would love to find a few more things to be able to freeze for future emergency meals.

    @jonni82014 Wow!! What a great day you had! The no snacking after 6:00 is a hard habit to break. 11 days in, you are collide to establishing a new habit. The one thing I am hoping to accomplish with this is to have making healthy choices become habitual.

    @MaryBethB54 wishing you the best in regaining your momentum back. Getting back after a major disruption like surgery is challenging.
  • BarbMessimer
    BarbMessimer Posts: 362 Member
    @MaryBethB54 ... Welcome to our group
  • jonni82014
    jonni82014 Posts: 1,534 Member
    I joined the NO Late Night Snacking Forum on MFP in March/22 so to date 31Mar/24
    I had 718days of NO Late Night Snacking after 6:00pm and 9 Days that I did.
    The community keeps me accountable.
    Catch up on house cleaning and laundry.
    DH is doing the yard work.
    Back to the Rec. Centre tomorrow
    Just for today: Be Present.
  • DianeSpenny
    DianeSpenny Posts: 2 Member
    I'm over 70 and glad I found you. I feel a little humiliated to say that because I should have lost this weight sooner
  • BarbMessimer
    BarbMessimer Posts: 362 Member
    @DianeSpenny ... Welcome and please don't feel embarrassed. We're all in the same boat. I've spent my life dieting and now have finally come across an eating plan/lifestyle that I can live with. Lost 68 pounds gradually over 3 years. Some came back on, but I'm getting it back off now. I feel so much better. I know my body is healthier and that I've extended my life. Best of all is the quality of life I have. Don't have diabetes or chronic kidney disease anymore.

    I wish I'd lost the weight sooner too but better late than never.
  • jan110144
    jan110144 Posts: 1,281 Member
    April 13

    Finally a beautiful day here! AND we are supposed to have another one today🙂

    On target for food, sleep and steps. Tried my third new recipe for the week ...Maple garlic salmon. YUMMY!! So, 2 out of 3 successes this week. I am finding adding variety to my menus is really helpful. Instead of feeling deprived because "I am on a diet" I am am really enjoying eating. I am sure there is an important lesson in this discovery.

    Busy day today ending with dinner at a friend's house (who is a very good coo. Will focus on enjoying the evening and not on calories. Just make good choices!

    @BarbMessimer congrats on your progress over the last few years."Best of all is the quality of life that I have" ... THAT. Not the number on the scale, is what counts!!

    @DianeSpenny Welcome!! No guilt here!🙂 we are ready when we are ready.
  • jonni82014
    jonni82014 Posts: 1,534 Member
    edited April 14
    I thought I would head out to the Rec. Centre; however I really outdid myself around the house yesterday. My last rest day was 05Apr. So Just for Today I will have rest day. A walk in the River Valley to connect with nature. Temperature high today of 15C/59F.

    Rest days are so important.

    Welcome to all! B)
  • BarbMessimer
    BarbMessimer Posts: 362 Member
    I sprained my knee. There's swelling below the knee and towards the inside. Pretty sure it's the MCL ligament. It's very painful to walk on so I'm resting it a lot and using a cane and a walker to get around... even that is terribly painful. I hope this doesn't last long as I need to be active.
  • jan110144
    jan110144 Posts: 1,281 Member
    End of week 2!

    Starting weight - 168.2, Ending Weight 165.1
    Sleep - 5/7 days at sleep score of 80+
    Steps - 7/7 days at or above 10,000, averaged 13,750

    Observations ... I am DEFINITELY feeling better after two weeks of healthy food and activity. Am also finding that adding more variety to my weekly menus is very helpful.

    Next two weeks ... As I mentioned when I joined, this is a very serious effort at focusing on changing how I eat into a healthy lifestyle. Eventually, I want to get to the point where I am eating "intuitive" way instead of being so focused on dieting to maintain a healthy weight. I am going to experiment with this over the next two weeks. So, for the next two weeks I am going to

    1. Continue to log food and exercise, but I will do this at the end of the day to check on how I have done, instead of preplanning to make sure I stay at a specific number. This makes me a little nervous, but seems to be a good step toward my goal.
    2. The other thing I am going to do is focus on 'hunger monitoring' this week ... making a point to check in with my body periodically during the day, and particularly before and after meals, on how I am feeling (re hunger). I think I often confuse tired, bored, thirsty with hunger ... with food being my first go to.

    So, I am a bit anxious going into this week, but also interested to see if I can intentionally move in the direction of intuitive eating (actually, hate this term because it has also been grabbed by the diet industry. Just don't have a better word to use.)

    @BarbMessimer Oh my, I hope you knee improves quickly. I know that movement is so important to me that the thought of being immobile is really depressing. Any possibility you could explore something like chair yoga in the interim since it is non weight-bearing?
  • BarbMessimer
    BarbMessimer Posts: 362 Member
    @jan110144 ... I like how you're progressing into "intuitive" eating. That's a far cry from being on a diet. You know what to eat.... Don't need to obsess over it and make healthy eating a chore. Good for you!

    I found any movement hurts the knee so I need to completely rest it for a few more days. It's driving me crazy as I want to get outside and work with my plants... Knee seems a little better but don't need a setback.
  • jonni82014
    jonni82014 Posts: 1,534 Member
    Just for today: Off to the Senior Centre 50 minutes stretch and weights. 45minutes treadmill.

    @jan110144 Congrats on your two weeks success.
    @BarbMessimer Frustrating when we have a setback. However, one has to ride it out to recovery. Wishing you a healthy recovery.

    Have a great day everyone ! B)
  • nsk1951
    nsk1951 Posts: 1,304 Member
    I haven't posted for a couple of weeks; but I have come to MFP daily to record my food, weight, and read the posts. Everyone seems to be progressing according to their plan, give or take 'Life Happens' type stuff along the way. For me also. I just finished a furious round of all sorts of medical specialities and an looking forward to the next month of medical free days.
    As for my April goal of getting outdoors every day, that hasn't happened so far as often as I'd planned. It's been miserable cold, rainy, and very windy. I did venture out even in the cloudy cold to witness the Total Solar Eclipse Event. We had deep cloud cover so couldn't actually see the eclipse itself, but did have a break in the clouds just thin enough that I was able to see the moon eating into the sun about 1/3 of the way in. And, the coming on of darkness and then light again was an event in itself. I was so happy to have experienced it.
    @BarbMessimer ... sorry you hurt your knee. I can relate to that awful pain you are going through. I hope you get relief and healing quickly.
    @jan110144 ... welcome to the thread group. Like you, I was interested in becoming accustomed intuitively to eat a healthy meal plan without having to count every item. I found, over time, that I tend to underestimate how many calories I consumed but didn't eat over the governments recommended daily amount except on rare occasions. However, that is not compatible with weight loss, were I need to be in a deficit. Good luck, I know we can both do this.
  • jan110144
    jan110144 Posts: 1,281 Member
    Tuesday ... yesterday went well. Sleep, walk and good all good. As planne, did not log food until end of the day. Was on target food wise. Fortunately (or sadly) I have spent so much of my life focusing on calories that I am a walking calorie counter.

    @BarbMessimer I hope your knee is improving.

    @jonni18204. Love your consistency going to the rec center. I am hoping to start integrating some weight workouts next month.

    @Nsk1951 "I found, over time, that I tend to underestimate how many calories I consumed but didn't eat over the governments recommended daily amount except on rare occasions. However, that is not compatible with weight loss, were I need to be in a deficit." ... this is absolutely a concern! I may end up in the same place. I had a similar problem when I tried this once before. But that time I jumped into it with little to no preparation. This time I am trying to learn more about me and the processes and go step by step toward that goal. We'll see ...

  • BarbMessimer
    BarbMessimer Posts: 362 Member
    I'm happy to say my knee is getting better. Much less inflammation and pain and only needing to use the cane. Once it completely heals, I'm going to be more careful with it and work on building up my lower body strength, Thanks for your concern.

    I've been losing on the average of 1 pound @ week for the past couple of months, and I'm happy with that. My goal is to improve my health by eating nutritious whole foods on a regular basis with weight loss as a side effect. Diet mentality is out the window.

    Basically, I follow these 5 rules: EAT WHOLE FOODS, EAT LESS OFTEN, EAT LESS THAN USUAL, KEEP ACTIVE and GET 7-8 HOURS OF SLEEP EACH NIGHT. It's working for me.
  • jonni82014
    jonni82014 Posts: 1,534 Member
    @jan110144 I find that is so stressful for me as well to continuously focus on my body. Whether it be calories input or how I feel . I am continuously "checking in"
    Sometimes it leaves little room to focus on other important things. At the Rec. Centre I walked right past the Body Composition Scale today and experienced no guilt. :D

    Just for today: Went to the Rec. Centre today: Yay! I increased the Low Row from 40# to 50# and
    the Vertical Traction from 30# to 40# My 3 Sets of 10per remain the same.

    Celebrating good news: I also had a <.8 Scale Reading/13 Ounce Equivalent this morning.

    Made a Tomato Olive Frittata: 2 servings for Wednesday and Thursday breakfasts.

    All around a very healthy productive day. Though we are going to get some snow and colder weather for the next few days.

    Enjoy!
  • Melwillbehealthy
    Melwillbehealthy Posts: 894 Member
    Enjoying reading and catching up on this thread. It’s encouraging to hear why women our age feel it’s important to still try to lose weight when overweight.
  • jan110144
    jan110144 Posts: 1,281 Member
    edited April 17
    6:51AM
    April 16. Food, steps and sleep all good. Yesterday, i cut theccord on tracking. Decided I could do it Still doing a bit in my head, but it is a step in the right direction. I have to say it makes me a bit nervous! Will continue to weigh weekly and will go back to tracking if this turns out to be a problem.

    I am definitely getting better at being able to monitor my hunger. Differentiating between tired, bored, stressed and hungry has always been a challenge for me. One step at a time!

    @BarbMessimer sovglad your knee is feeling better! One pound a week is good, steady progress. I expect to level off to something like that soon ... that initial big loss for the first week or so is great, but levels off pretty quickly. Your three "rules" are pretty close to what I am trying to do.

    @jonni82014 the frittata sounds great. I love egg dishes!

    @melwillbehealthy Agree! Focusing on living a more healthy lifestyle is important ... and is a good indicator that you haven't given up on on life. I find the " I can't" attitude of many of my contemporaries very sad. It's amazing what you can do if you start with "I can" instead of "I can't"
  • jonni82014
    jonni82014 Posts: 1,534 Member
    @jan110144 @mellwillbehealthy Agree that living a more healthy lifestyle is important - for me first. Then my fit body, mind + spirit radiates to my DH, family + friends; who do not have to worry or be concerned about my wellbeing. They can be confident that I am committed to my health and wellness.
    We can have other discussions of life instead of "How are you feeling ?" (with concern in their voices). Checking in to ask about health and wellness is good.

    Just for today: Opted out of going to the Senior Centre.
    Making a cannellini bean & vegetable salad for 2 lunches Wednesday & Thursday
    Tonight Sweet Chili chicken stir fry.

    We had some rain and snow. Good moisture, however looking forward to warmer weather.
    Have great day! B)
  • jan110144
    jan110144 Posts: 1,281 Member
    edited April 17
    lbfhyf1brwbs.jpg
    After reading @Melwillbehealthy comment this morning, this popped up on my FB feed

  • BarbMessimer
    BarbMessimer Posts: 362 Member
    @jan110144 ... Loved your post!
  • jan110144
    jan110144 Posts: 1,281 Member
    April 17 ... all good. Was just thinking how nice it is to breed able to walk comfortably outside. While we have had quite a bit of rain. It is so pretty out. All the yards are a gorgeous green with trees and flowers I'm bloom everywhere. Also, it iscgreat to have a walking partner who is ALWAYS up for a walk.

    @jonni82014 stir fry sounds yummy. Variety continues to be a game changer for me.

    My walking partner

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